Too often, believers reduce being “BLESSED” to material possessions — especially cars, houses, big bank balance.

Although material possessions are part of the promises of GOD, they are not at all, all there is to prosperity. They are not the basis of prosperity.

In Christ Jesus, prosperity starts with our soul. We must first pursue the prosperity of our soul, as well as pray to prosper in all things as our soul prospers.

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 John 1:2.

In Matthew 5, our LORD Jesus Christ taught the most in-depth and compact Word on how to be blessed. But they are often just read and rendered as a beautiful poetry, and called The Beatitudes!

To be really blessed, we must be truly blessed, that is, we must be first Spiritually blessed, and then physically blessed. But most believers seek the opposite, and do the opposite.

If you don’t sort out the prosperity of your soul, no matter how prosperous you become materially, you will have sorrow with it.

“The Blessing of The LORD makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” Proverbs 10:22.

This is what happens to the unGodly who are rich. Look at those music and Hollywood stars and their lifestyles. Material possessions? They have it all. But they pierce themselves through with many sorrows — because they lack the prosperity of the soul.

Some children of GOD are likewise, because they idolatrously pursue the physical prosperity, and hardly the Spiritual and Eternal in Heaven.

Remember sister Martha? That’s what she was doing. And many more brothers and sisters are doing so too, today — more so in ministry. They are doing things for JESUS but it is NOT of JESUS. Like Martha, they are “distracted with much serving… worried and troubled about many things….” (See Luke 10:38-42).

Brethren, trade earthly things for Heavenly Things.

As Jesus said:

“Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.“ Luke 12:33-34.

Blessings and Being Blessed

Blessings from GOD are Spiritual. And then manifest physically through prayer and obedience.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in The Heavenly realm in Christ,” Ephesians 1:3.

And so, to be REALLY and TRULY blessed physically, you must get every blessings from GOD Spiritually.

How?

● Be poor in spirit. For Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is The Kingdom of Heaven.” Matthew 5:3.

To be poor in spirit is to be always needy for GOD, have need of GOD. Never think in anything at anytime that you’re alright; for this was the curse of the Church of the Laodiceans.

As The LORD said to them,

“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked — I counsel you to buy from Me Gold refined in The Fire, that you may be rich; and White Garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with Eye Salve, that you may see.” Revelation 3:17-18.

● Be quick to mourn before GOD.
“Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4.

This is not talking about mourning in bereavement.

Jesus is preaching Godly sorrow: REPENTANCE! (Please read 2 Corinthians 7:7-10).

Repentance brings comfort — times of refreshing from The Presence of GOD.

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from The Presence of The LORD,” Acts 3:19.

Oh, “if My people who are called by My Name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My Face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land [i.e our life, our situation].” 2 Chronicles 7:14.

“So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to The LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm.” Joel 2:13.

● Be meek (humble) “with The Meekness and Gentleness of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:1; Matthew 11:29).
“Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.“ Matthew 5:5.

● Have FERVENT hunger and thirst for righteousness every moment of your breath. Let all your thinking, all your perspective be “according to Christ.” (Colossians 2:8).
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.“ Matthew 5:6.

● Be merciful. Be moved by compassion for others. (Too many in Christ have become cold, and hardened their hearts. This invites the curse).
“Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7.

● Be pure in heart.
“Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.“ Matthew 5:8.

“Who may ascend into The Hill of The LORD ? Or who may stand in His Holy Place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive BLESSING from The LORD, And righteousness from The God of his Salvation.” Psalms 24:3-5.

● Make peace. Pursue peace with all people. Stop all that strife and striving with each other and one another.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9.

● We are blessed when persecuted. Persecution is suffering anything for righteousness’ sake; it could even be by one’s own family members.
“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is The Kingdom of Heaven.“ Matthew 5:10.

Our time in the earth right now is ‘persecution season’ — the worst and ultimate since our LORD began The Church.

But we’re blessed when persecuted. However, we must NOT be doormats! When being persecuted, we must respond with prayer and The Word, yes, we must raise our voice to GOD and about GOD as the apostles did in Acts chapters 4 and 5.

Oh, we are all experiencing it, and we must REJOICE through it all just as The LORD commanded:

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My Sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.“ Matthew 5:11-12.

Peter and the other apostles understood this mystery of The Gospel and applied it readily.

When persecuted with imprisonment, court trial, and threats, “they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His Name.” Acts 5:41.

With that veteran experience in hand, Peter exhorts us with this commandment:

“If you are reproached for The Name of Christ, blessed are you, for The Spirit of Glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.” 1 Peter 4:14.

And Paul said, “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.” Because we are BLESSED being so!

The secret here is to ask for GRACE (Hebrews 12:28) so as to be able to rejoice in tribulation, being enabled by The Holy Spirit.

How else are we Blessed?

“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the unGodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of The LORD , And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper,” Psalm 1:1-3.

“Blessed is the man to whom The LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit,” Psalm 32:2.

“Blessed is the nation [individual, family, people] whose God is The LORD. the people He has chosen as His own inheritance,” Psalm 33:12.

“Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, and he will be blessed on the earth; you will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed,” Psalms 41:1-3.

“Blessed are those who keep justice, And he who does righteousness at all times!” Psalm 106:3.

“Behold, thus shall the man be blessed Who fears The LORD,” Psalm 128:4.

I pray for you:

“The LORD bless you out of Zion, And may you see the good of Jerusalem all the days of your life. Yes, may you see your children’s children. Peace be upon Israel!” Psalm 128:5-6.

 

“The LORD Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Grace be with you. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:22.
“Farewell” Acts 15:29.
~ Jacob Awagah

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Jacob, an apostle of Jesus Christ by The Will of God, according to The Promise of Life which is in Christ Jesus, (2 Timothy 1:1).  As John was, Jacob is the disciple whom JESUS loves, (John 13:23;19:26; 20:2; 21:7,20).  And like Paul, Jacob is “the prisoner of CHRIST JESUS” (Ephesians 3:1) for His Purpose forever: to obey Him always.

“And having been perfected, He became The Author of Eternal Salvation to all who obey Him,” Hebrews 5:9.

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